Jennifer Copley

What makes food sustainable? There are many different definitions of sustainable food. Sustain, a UK charity devoted to promoting sustainable food, emphasizes protection of biodiversity, environmental friendliness, health, and social and economic benefits. According to the University of Queensland, Australia, there are a number of things that impact the sustainability of food, including farming practices (i.e., use of pesticides and other chemicals, harvesting approaches), transport, processing, and business practices (i.e., Fair Trade). Sustain has clear recommendations for sustainable eating and drinking, and these are listed below: – Purchasing local, seasonal foods – Buying food produced by environmentally friendly farms – Keeping… read more

Radishes are members of the Brassicaceae family that also includes cabbages and mustards. Some research suggests that eating radishes may help to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of cancer, and radishes are also a source of important nutrients such as vitamin C and potassium. Radishes are a great diet food. An entire cup of them sliced provides just 19 calories. They’re commonly eaten raw in salads and sandwiches and with dipping vegetables, but they can be lightly sautéed as well. Radish greens, which are also highly nutritious, can be added to salads or soups or lightly sautéed. Radishes grow… read more

Microgreens are nutrient-packed baby leafy vegetables that can be grown on a windowsill or deck, enabling people without yards to enjoy fresh homegrown produce. Microgreen flavors are sweet, savory, earthy, or spicy, depending on the particular plants grown, and they are available in a broad array of colors, including red and purple. Plants that can be eaten as microgreens include various lettuces, spinach, mustard greens, kale, pea greens, wasabi, kohlrabi, chard, radish greens, beet greens, carrot greens, and cabbage. Homegrown crops provide a number of advantages. They’re more environmentally friendly because they don’t require packaging and shipping, they usually taste… read more

Some fish come from sustainable stocks or well-managed fish farms, whereas others are obtained from vulnerable or overfished populations or environmentally harmful fish farms, or caught using methods that kill dolphins, whales, seabirds, and commercially useless fish. Organizations such as the Marine Stewardship Council, the Marine Conservation Society, SeaChoice and the Vancouver Aquarium provide guidance on which fish to buy and which to avoid based on whether fishing operations and fish farms use sustainable, environmentally friendly methods or engage in destructive practices. All of these organizations provide searchable fish databases to help you determine the best fish to buy, as… read more

Coconut sugar is marketed as a healthier sugar alternative because it is less processed, more nutritious, and low on the glycemic index. Coconut sugar may be more environmentally friendly as well. The impacts of large-scale cane sugar production include the destruction of ecosystems to clear land for single crops, excessive water consumption, water and air pollution, and soil degradation. Coconut palms, by contrast, grow in diverse ecosystems, have positive environmental impacts, and produce more sugar per acre than sugar cane plants while making fewer resource demands. However, concerns were raised when Tropical Traditions (2012), a producer of coconut oil, posted… read more

Although there are vitamin supplements available, it’s always best to get nutrients from whole foods whenever possible because vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients work together synergistically to create their health-promoting effects. The findings of various studies suggest that vitamin C reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, certain cancers, gout, and possibly other medical problems. Some studies have shown beneficial effects purely from supplementation, but others have found health benefits only in those who eat whole foods rich in vitamin C. When people think of vitamin C-rich foods, they tend to picture oranges and perhaps other citrus fruits, but there… read more

Goji berries, also known as wolfberries, grow in China and Tibet and have been used in traditional Chinese medicine. These orangey-red berries have a flavor somewhere between raisins and cherries, though slightly bitter. They can be eaten cooked, raw, dried, juiced, or in teas and wines. Goji berries have been marketed as a cure-all for everything, but despite the hype, there hasn’t been sufficient research undertaken to draw any definitive conclusions about these health claims. Goji berries are rich in antioxidants, so they may help protect against cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, and many other illnesses, but most studies of… read more

Bokashi, which means “fermented organic matter” in Japanese, is an intensive composting method that uses microbes such as yeast, bacteria, and lactic acid to break organic matter down quickly, creating compost in as little as two weeks. The active Bokashi agent is a pleasant-smelling bran-based material fermented with an effective micro-organism (EM) liquid concentrate and subsequently dried. Bokashi composting requires only a bucket and the Bokashi material. The method enables composting not only materials that can go into regular compost systems such as fruits, vegetables, coffee grounds, tea bags, egg, shells, and plant clippings, but also breads and other… read more

Derived from the bark of Cinnamomum trees in Southeast Asia, cinnamon has historically been used not only as a spice, but also as a medicine. It is often listed among the superfoods – foods that provide significant health benefits – because it is rich in manganese, fiber, calcium, antioxidants, and other beneficial ingredients. Studies of cinnamon’s health effects have yielded mixed results and more research is needed to prove anything conclusively. However, a number of studies have suggested that it may act as an anti-inflammatory and an anti-microbial agent. Cinnamon contains essential oils that can prevent bacterial and fungal growth (including… read more

Many bee species have been dying out in recent years, with honeybees suffering the most dramatic decline. The loss of bees has been attributed to pesticides and other toxic chemicals, mite infestations, infections, and possibly even cell phone radiation. Monoculture (growing single crops) is also a problem because bees are less healthy when they consume only one type of food. Bees are critical to the sustainability of our food supply. Loss of the pollination services that bees provide would wipe out around 80% of our food plants. If we lost the bees completely, we’d lose the majority of our fruits,… read more